DEITY APPRECIATION: APHRODITE AND VENUS
Romantics, lovers, femme queens and kwanes, cherub faced beauties, loyalists, and glamor enthusiasts what do they all have in common? They embody the essence of Aphrodite, reimagined by the Romans as Venus. Our seaside queen, born of a clamshell (I mean aren’t we all?) and keeper of lovers is one of the most well known, and beloved, Goddesses from Greek and Roman Mythology.
The Goddesses of love have left a very profound impression on the world, that of the ultimate feminine energy, and not to say it isn’t true, but they both have so much more to be remembered for outside of the stereotypical romantics, beauty, and softness. As seen with many of the Gods and Goddesses we’ve covered, they are vastly diverse and usually, when “specialized” in a certain area, we conclude on further examination that they have dominion over the opposite as well! How exciting to uncover that they’re multifaceted, not unlike us humans. In this article we will cover the history of Aphrodite and Venus and how to honor them both. So grab your note book, your frilly pen, cinnamon gum, and sunhat cause we’re heading to the ocean side where these Goddesses aren’t afraid to make a splash!
Birth of Venus by Noel Nicolas Coypel (1732)
Venus in Rome & Aphrodite in Greece; Who They Are, Their Similarities and Differences
Venus and Aphrodite have been worshipped interchangeably for many years, but it must be said that they are from two different cultures, and depending on where you get your information from, differs on her origins and lore. This isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, where cultures have adapted a deity to fit into their doctrine. This can cause heated debate, anger, and even hatred between cultures, communities, countries...don’t even get my started on WitchTok. So lets dive into these two Goddesses and break down their similarities, differences, who they are and where they came from.
Aphrodite
Her origins date over 7,000 years ago, long before the ancient Grecian people adapted her into one of the Olympian Goddesses. Aphrodites origin story is enmeshed with the horrifying lore surrounding her Fathers dismemberment by her own brother (talk about family drama). After Cronus cuts off Uranus’s genitals he tosses them into the sea, where then bubbles begin to form and a thick foam emerges. Drifting towards the shores of Cyprus, it is there that Aphrodite emerges from the foam, a Goddess with incomparable beauty, gently lapping in the waves upon the sands of the stunning beach. Her significance has been pigeon holed to only beauty, romance, and desire, but she is a highly political, even militant, Goddess that has been called upon to forge peace amidst war. She is a force to be reckoned with, and is diverse in her abilities. Aphrodite was worshipped by a Spartan Cult who depicted her in armor and war paraphernalia, even building statues built of her in the same likeness. Spartans took war and fighting very seriously to say the least, therefore they wouldn’t worship just any God, but one they knew would make them triumphant. I can’t help but hear the old saying “all is fair in love and war” when researching and writing about Aphrodite, because even she knew that her dominion was cast over these two areas. Love and War are as vastly different as they are similar; it takes valor, self trust, courage, strength, and veracity to embark on matters of the heart and sword. Aphrodite understands both; being born of violence and formed in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I mean talk about a Goddess who can tame the brutes, look at her longtime lover and most treasured companion Ares- the god of war! Only a Goddess who understands the nature and polarities of love and hate, or war and peace truly subdue the wild ways of a temperamental God.
Venus
Originating from Roma, Italy, Venus’s story has been dated after the arrival and worship of her comparative Goddess Aphrodite. It is hard to differentiate between these two goddesses because Rome did not have their own deities to call upon, instead forming them from the Greeks (and other surrounding cultures). Trying to stay as true to Roman mythos let’s dive into her lore… Venus was born from her mother Dione and father Jupiter, although, as depicted in Boticellis’s The Birth of Venus painting, we see her born of a giant clam (similar to Aphrodite). Also not dissimilar from Aphrodite, Venus is a Goddess of the people. Humans found solace in their devotion to her because she too fought for them. However, instead of taking up shield and sword, she would use her striking beauty to influence and sway fate in her favor. Venus forged a marriage to the Roman God Vulcan, full of fire and fury, to ensure the safe release of Juno. It was considered to be a union of persuasion, completely loveless, and full of duty. Don’t go feeling sorry for our Venusian Queen just yet, Venus was also known to have relationships and sex with other Gods and Goddesses, even those of human decent. She didn’t discriminate! She was getting hers wherever and whenever she wanted- something quite typical of the Roman deities. Venus is associated with sex work, fertility, orgies, bdsm, and related sex communities, but that is not to negate her association to romance- in fact she is very much a proponent of romantic unions; monogamous and polyamorous relationships, open marriages/relationships, and sexual exploration. She is a deity who believes that love is love and no one is going to stop her from sharing in it or spreading it, even if that means she has to go to war for it.
LGBTQ+ Allyship Amongst the Ancient Goddesses of Love
I really enjoyed this portion of my research. If you’re someone who isn’t pro LGBTQ+, interracial coupling, etc. than you’re going to have a very hard time connecting with these deities (and many others in fact). Did I also mention there are many academic papers written on her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community, even to the point that they have speculated their own sexuality to be that of bisexuality or pansexuality? No? Let’s dive in! There are some ancient sects of grecian populous who worship(ed) Aphrodite as a non-binary, or trans Goddess/Deity. The beauty of this is that it is all documented in scholarly exploration, yes LGBTQ+ predates what we know it as today. The Gods and Goddesses don’t discriminate, nor do they stand for bigotry- ESPECIALLY Aphrodite and Venus. Their allyship is unquestionable. If we dive deeper into the history of these Goddesses, especially that of Aphrodite, we will see how she wasn’t this “soft, peaceful, stereotypical femm-centric” Deity many view her as today. Aphrodite and Venus are Goddesses of the people, power, expansion, liberation, and war (if necessary). They guided empires through attempted extinctions from neighboring conquerors, and in their celebrations were unashamed of their acts of sexual liberation with whomever they felt connected to in the moment. Look at the Roman Holiday Lupercalia, this was a festive time shared amongst any and all people with sex, pleasure, desire, and even fetish exploration. Aphrodite and Venus understand the nuances of the human experience, and bask in the exploration of those experiences without shame, pain, or judgment.
Venus as a Planet and How to Work with Her Energy
First off can we abandon this insane, outdated pop-culture reference “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” bullshit? Ok, great! Let’s first observe our bright and shining planet from a physical standpoint. Venus is a planet that has a terrain like earth, but it’s entirely uninhabitable due to its Carbon Dioxide filled atmosphere. She’s beautiful from a far, but deadly to touch. Like our Mythical Goddess, Venus looks one way but has a tough interior under the surface. She is air and earth, that is why we associate her with Libra (air) and Taurus (earth). Both are signs of material comfort, beauty, and also stuborness and righteousness. Venus’s planetary energy is that of emotions, healing, harmony, balance/justice, love (of all kinds), beauty (of all kinds) creativity, artistry, and visual magnetism. So the best ways in which people can cultivate the power of Venus in their craft is through the following:
Use Fridays (Venus Day) as a day to connect with her energy via ritual/spellwork/offerings
Numbers Associated: 2 but only if written as II, 5 and 6
Self Love Rituals: Take Pink Himalayan Salt Baths with Rose Petals, Pink Candles, floral scented bubbles/soap, and music that makes you feel sensual, confident, soft, powerful, or that transports you to the seaside
Glamour Magick: Enchant your lipsticks, makeup brushes, blushes, lotions, toners, hair brushes, or any other glamour items by taking them to the sea side and soaking them in the ocean (not near an ocean? no problem, make your own salt water and do the very same thing. Added enchantment by using a shell as the holder of the salt water)
Boundary Setting as a Ritual: In a shallow dish (or shell) place a white candle in the center, fill with salt water (add rose buds for an offering), light the candle, write who you are seeking boundary help with on a slip of paper, burn the paper in the flame, on a way leaf write the emotion that this boundary would bring you (peace, confidence, freedom) then burn the bay leaf, wash the flame over you, when the flame reaches the water the boundary has been set- like the flame to water, this person will not be able to pass your boundary
Creativity or Inspiration Spellwork: Light a Gold candle, adorned in rose petals or other flowers/herbs related to Aphrodite, Blow cinnamon through the flame after reciting your desires, then burn a bay leaf with what you need help with creatively, burn it in the flame, again blow cinnamon through the flame, let the flame burn out
Aphrodite and Aries, Why Their Coupling is Significant Insight into Aphrodites Versatility
It’s no question that Aphrodite would find love, which is why she finds it multiple times throughout her mythos. But it comes as quite the surprise when newcomers to Grecian Lore find out that she gave her heart away to Ares. One- because he is the God of War and Two- because she gave Ares her heart even though she was married to Hephaestus. Remember, the Gods lived by no rules but their own. The morality they held humans to was not ones they may have lived themselves. Although many view(ed) Aphrodite and Ares as opposites, from what we covered above it’s unsurprising that there would be undeniable connection. Aphrodite lives for love to the point that she would go to war for it. There are stories of Aphrodite going to the mortal world, seducing the mortal men, baiting them with her unmatched beauty, charm, and sensuality. If these men were swayed from their loyalty to their mortal partner, she would curse them, severely harm them, or even manipulate them to harm ones they loved who were part of disrespecting her. She took disloyalties and love discretions personally. As soft as one side of her domaine is, she can be as equally harmful and unforgiving. Enter Ares, a God very familiar to the acts of betrayal, manipulation, and tactics of violence; but he became entranced and paralyzed in his infatuation upon seeing Aphrodite for the first time. Might I add that their first encounter was on the battlefield in the Trojan war!!! These two are full of passion, and righteousness- they act upon emotion and what they deem to be karma or justice. To their point, acting on hate is such a strong emotion equal in intensity to that of love, for one to feel hatred means they must care quite a lot to act upon it. That is why the opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. These two Grecian Giants understand this inherantly.
Honoring Venus/Aphrodite At The Alter
Whether you’re trying to call in your most aligned partner, seek loyal friendships, expand your self love, begin your journey into glamour magic, hex an ex lover who betrayed you, or set boundaries your alter will speak volumes to the gratitude you hold for our beloved Aphrodite, and it is here that you can call her in. Below you will find a list of many offering options that align with Venus, but I highly recommend choosing items and intentions that align with your intuition as well as what you are seeking from her.
Trees/Flowers: Myrtle Tree, Apple Tree, Roses (Red especially), Cypress, Seaweed, Roses, Sea Moss, Palm Trees, Narcissus
Herbs: Cinnamon, Basil, Damiana, Rosemary, Sea Parsley, Red Raspberry Leaf, Mugwort
Crystals: Pearl, Rose Quartz, Opal, Diamond, Aquamarine, Larimar
Food Items: Strawberries, Raspberries, Oysters, Chocolate, Rosé/Red Wine, Pomegranates, Pistachios
Animals: Star Fish, White Dove and other White Birds, Swans, Clams, Dolphins, Coral, All Fish
Colors: Pink, Gold, Soft Lavender, Periwinkle, Robin Blue, Aqua, Sand, Ivory, Sea Foam Green
Incorporate Mirrors, Makeup/Self Care Items, Bows, Lingerie, Shells, Jewelry, Body Lotions/Oils, Perfume, Specifically Scented Candles, Images or Statues of Her, Pictures of You and Your Partner(s) or a Self Portrait
Fabrics and Materials: Lace, Velvet, Silk, Satin, Fluffy or Feathery, Sparkling or Shimmering, also nakedness/lack of fabric
Aphrodite is a Goddess of water and air- the notion that feelings and dreams go hand in hand. She is what gives your ideas wings to fly through emotional inspiration, and the belief that anything is possible. However, she can also burn a village to the ground just as easily. With that said her association to fire is very specific to longing, lust, passion, anger, feminxne rage, and so if you’re wanting to work with her elementally, think thoroughly what side of Aphrodite you seek her strength from (this can change from day to day). Yes this is a little warning as well as it is an encouragement.
A reminder in this series, as it’s a question I get often, is that the Gods and Goddesses of Pagan History are not hateful or baneful (without reason), nor do they ‘pick and choose’ who is worthy of their guidance. They are not like the Monotheistic God of Christianity, or other religions that enforce fear upon their followers/worshipers. But there is a deep respect, and understanding that the Gods and Goddesses expect, so keep note that they will call you out on your shit, and even let go of their protection/loyalty to you if you are not listening to them or ignoring them. In Aphrodites case she can be even less patient with her devotees, so be very cautious about your work with her. However, there is no “consequence” or impending doom if you release your contract with her. Some deities can be mischievous tricksters (I’m looking at you Loki, Pan, and Hermes) but that is not all that they are. Aphrodite still comes to tempt mortal men, and the consequence they receive for their disloyal act is their partner finding out the truth, if not worse... They are multifaceted beings, not unlike us, so when honored, and shown gratitude, they will show up in your corner with unconditional loyalty time and time again.
I hope this has been highly informative and even encouraging for you to dive deeper into the watery depths of working with Venus. Magick comes in many forms, but we can learn so much when asking for guidance from deities, the elements, our community. So I hope you continue researching, and building your spiritual team with us here at The Whisper Coven.
Till next time, stay magickal Darklings xx
Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli (1480’s)
